Data Output System and Method

1. A data output system comprising: a data generator which generates position data indicating a position on a surface of an object and which generates addition data associated with the generated position data; a mark addition unit which adds a mark pattern to the surface of the object which uniquely identifies the object and specifies positions on the surface of the object, the mark pattern comprising a lattice pattern and a plurality of marks disposed offset to intersections of the lattice pattern; a data storage memory which stores an index that associates the mark pattern added to the surface of the object, the generated position data and the generated addition data with each other; a specifying unit which determines a selected position on the surface of the object based on the mark pattern at a selected portion of the surface of the object, the selected position on the surface of the object being determined based on a positional relationship between the plurality of marks offset from the intersections at the selected portion of the surface of the object; a data output unit which outputs addition data associated with the position on the surface of the object corresponding to the selected position on the surface of the object based on the index; and a controller which controls, in response to the object on which the mark pattern is added being discarded or the mark pattern being erased from the object, the mark addition unit to reuse the first mark pattern and add the mark pattern to another object.

2. The data output system according to claim 1 , wherein the data generator further generates image data to be printed on the surface of the object, and the mark addition unit prints the mark pattern and the generated image data on the surface of the object.

3. The data output system according to claim 2 , wherein the mark addition unit selectively adds the mark pattern to the surface of the object in response to external operation.

4. The data output system according to claim 1 , further comprising a mark reader which reads the mark pattern at the selected portion of the surface of the object, wherein the specifying unit determines the mark pattern on the surface of the object at the selected portion and the selected position on the surface of the object based on the read mark pattern.

5. The data output system according to claim 1 , wherein the object is at least one of paper and a sheet-like print medium.

6. The data output system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of marks are located at a different positions on the surface of the object and are identical to each other.

7. The data output system according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of marks are at least one of electrically readable, magnetically readable, and mechanically readable.

8. A method of managing data for determining a position on a surface of an object comprising: generating, by a processor of a computer, position data indicating a position on the surface of the object and generating an addition data associated with the generated position data; adding a mark pattern to the surface of the object which uniquely identifies the object and specifies positions on the surface of the object, the mark pattern comprising a lattice pattern and a plurality of marks disposed offset to intersections of the lattice pattern; storing an index which associates the mark pattern added to the surface of the object, the generated position data and the generated addition data with each other; determining a selected position on the surface of the object based on the mark pattern at a selected portion of the surface of the object, the selected position on the surface of the object being determined based on a positional relationship between the plurality of marks offset from the intersections at the selected portion of the surface of the object; outputting the addition data associated with the position on the surface of the object corresponding to the selected position on the surface of the object based on the index; and reusing the mark pattern, in response to the object on which the mark pattern is added being discarded or the mark pattern being erased from the object, so as to add the mark pattern to another object.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that causes a computer to execute a method of managing data for determining a position on a surface of an object, the method comprising: generating, by a processor of a computer, position data indicating a position on the surface of the object and generating an addition data associated with the generated position data; adding a mark pattern to the surface of the object which uniquely identifies the object and specifies positions on the surface of the object, the mark pattern comprising a lattice pattern and a plurality of marks disposed offset to intersections of the lattice pattern; storing an index which associates the mark pattern added to the surface of the object, the generated position data and the generated addition data with each other; determining a selected position on the surface of the object based on the mark pattern at a selected portion of the surface of the object, the selected position on the surface of the object being determined based on a positional relationship between the plurality of marks offset from the intersections at the selected portion of the surface of the object; outputting the addition data associated with the position on the surface of the object corresponding to the selected position on the surface of the object based on the index; and reusing the mark pattern, in response to the object on which the mark pattern is added being discarded or the mark pattern being erased from the object, so as to add the mark pattern to another object.

10. The computer-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises generating image data to be printed on the surface of the object, and printing the mark pattern and the generated image data on the surface of the object.

11. The computer-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein the adding comprises selectively adding the mark pattern to the surface of the to the object in response to external operation.

12. The computer-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises reading the mark pattern at the selected portion of the surface of the object, wherein the determining determines the mark pattern on the surface of the object at the selected portion and the selected position on the surface of the object based on the read mark pattern.

13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein the object is at least one of paper and a sheet-like print medium.